Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-01-20
ARTIST AND URGLAR.
A New York ,eporter In.
terviews 8 Professional.
UNLooKEb-F< DEVELOPMENT
A Demon$'atai Of What Presence
of Mind lay Be-The Scene Lo-
cttd il New Jersey.

Owingtcthe difficulties surrounding
the STUDY I burglars few people may
be consided competent to write upon
the sube& The burglar is a modest.
retiring let, whose habits are not fa-
miliar b to general public. He is noe.
turnal ndgenerally very reticent when
the eys o the world are upon him, and
those prssns who have survived mid
night 'isit from him have in most
cases len incapable of conscientious,
scientb scrutiny of his mannerisms
and ude of action.
Theeal dramatic quality of an inter.
view wh q large, live, rampant burglar
has ben heretofore unappreciated and
She w,le subject is involved in the
deep al-brown obscurity. l may be
thereto excused when I say that !
had ben a total disbsliever in the ex.
istence,f this creature, and was more
or less iclined to think the whole thing
a sun-yth Of the old Greek mythology
handedlown from our ancestors.
Iawee one night and saw short.
thickset man with an old.gold beard
standin. at my ebony dressing case.
He wasso intent upon the scrutiny Of
the COMMITS of my jewel case that he
did not observe that I was awake and
regarding him with great curiosity.
/ hadh big seven.shooter in my over
coat POCKET, but that was hanging in a
chair beyond my reach. concluded,
with tha, quick mental action for which
my friends admit me famous, that !
world preserve the peace and use mild
measures, as noticed he had a pistol
himself.
After had studied his physiognomy
awhile, coughed slight apologize
cough to draw his attention to the fact
that l was noticing him. He started
slightly and turning his pistol in cur.
sorry manner in my direction, said: "Ah,
good evening. You will pardon me for
you. l assure you it was
quite accidental. Nothing, sir, was
further from my thoughts. "Who are
you :" inquired. for began to realize
his painful situation.
COOL WORK.
He struck q match on the rosewood
bedstead and lighted the gas. Then he
handed me his card very politely and
with the grace of duke. took
and sitting up in the bed read as toll
lows:
81. Maurice Float, professional Burg
lar. Office Hours, from IL to 8 "A. M,
excepted"
"Oh," said 1, your burglar. eh!
How did you get in!'
"Just opened the front door with a
key and walked in. You don't suppose
/ was fired in skyrocket. do you:
People seem to have such strange ideas.
Still, as there are some twenty ways to
enter your house I'll overlook your
ignorance. Worst guarded house ]
never saw" he went on, i"but its large,
affords scope to q mind like mine,
which delights in breadth and space.
May 1 trouble you to tell me where
your watch is"
l told him, and he placed it in his
pocket with deferential bow.
"You don't seem to have much plum.
der for me-" he remarked. "Haiu't you
any bonds?" / told him l was just out
Of bonds, and that the house had been
the week before. "Ah!" said
he, 'and poor job they made of it, too!
never saw a more bungling piece of
amateur work. Some men seem to have
no idea of finish and delicate technique.
They lack enthusiasm, sir. Where did
you hint that your diamond studs were,
or didn't you say! Thank you, don't
disturb yourself. I'll get them" And
he opened the bureau drawer and took
them.
felt bad about his taking the studs
and watch because l noticed that be al
ready possessed those necessary articles.
s'I meant to ask you, but / had for.
gotten in the press of business" he re.
sumed. "Have you dog?" l told him
that the dog was in the cellar. He
smiled and added: "I'nI glad of that, as
am not fond of dogs and generally
avoid them"
"You will pardon my curiosity" l
said, after pause, during which he put
the alarm clock into his overcoat pocket;
"but as never had an opportunity be.
fore of talking to real burglar, I'd like
to ask you how burglary pays"
A CONFIDENTIAL COMMUNICATION.
SWELL" he replied with sigh, "this
has been hard winter for burglars, but
things are looking up. People are be.
ginning to get Christmas presents in, but
q wedding night is the racket for me.
Excuse my slang, please. It's hard life
no idea the trouble
people make for us sometimes, and it
takes the fine point off the sensibilities
of most natures. But, thank goodness,
I'm not lost to all feeling of humanity.
don't steal from babes in the cradle"
"What were you." I enquired, ''be-
fore you became burglar!"
II was a policeman" he answered
II don't often strike house as poor
as this" he went on. WAS that sill.
NcE WhtCu tuC Ouiy Oho Vu hoo. W ~
don't you wear q gold one? And, by
the way, have you such thing as q
gold lead pencil! I've wanted one for
q long while and never could seem to
run across it," I told him l had moth
ing but stylographic pen. 1t was in
my vest pocket.
He took it. He also took bottle
Of dyspepsia medicine and my tooth
brush and slowed them away. asked
If ne ever took fellows clothes. "On,
no." said he, quickly, 81 draw the line
1T clothes, especially such clothes al
yours. l have mine made to order il
and he glanced proudly a
his overcoat, which was lined with seal
skin. Then he asked me if l had any
wine in the house. l told him that
only has beer. He didn't want beer
and then he said if I'd come down into
the parlor he'd play on the piano and
sing song called "Put More Wind ir
My Doughnuts, Dear Mamma"
TURNING THE TABLES.
1 said heartily, and perhaps with su I.
rAu xssh<